The Board's five members serve concurrent four-year terms as the nation's only elected tax commission. Their popular election ensures that the Board's tax program administration remains directly accountable to the people. Four members are elected by district. The fifth member, the State Controller, is elected at large and serves in an ex officio capacity.

Elected in November 2010 and re-elected in 2014, George Runner represents more than nine million Californians as a member of the State Board of Equalization. He is a leading advocate for California taxpayers. Runner has worked to improve California’s tax policies and practices and to create and retain more private sector jobs in our state. Prior to his election to the Board, Runner served twelve years in the State Legislature, authoring the well-known California Amber Alert and California’s Blue Alert. As a thoughtful conservative, his legislative priorities included improving the economy, business growth, education excellence, and public safety for all Californians. As a member of the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee, Runner consistently led the fight against tax increases and supported tax relief for families and businesses.

Elected in November 2014, Fiona Ma, CPA represents approximately 9.5 million residents in the Second Equalization District. Ms. Ma served in the California State Assembly from 2006 to 2012, and was the first Asian woman Assembly Speaker pro Tempore since 1850. While in the Assembly, Ms. Ma focused on improving California’s bottom line, authoring legislation to create jobs, and grow the state’s economy. As an Executive Board Member of the National Conference of State Legislators, she worked to keep California competitive with other states. Ms. Ma has been a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in California since 1992.

Jerome Horton, Third District – includes Counties of Los Angeles and Ventura and a portion of San Bernardino County.

Currently serves as Chairman of the California State Board of Equalization, and is known as a tireless advocate for California taxpayers. Appointed to the Board in 2009 by the Governor, he was subsequently elected to serve two additional terms. Mr. Horton brings to the board nearly 40 years of experience in public service, with extensive experience in business tax law and public policy. He previously served as a member of the California State Assembly and Inglewood City Council. Distinguished as the first Board member with over 21 years of prior Board of Equalization experience and he is also the first African American elected to the Board.

Diane L. Harkey, Fourth District - Counties of Imperial, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, and a portion of San Bernardino County.

Elected in November 2014, Diane L. Harkey represents approximately 9.5 million Californians in the Fourth Equalization District. Ms. Harkey served in the California State Assembly from 2008 to 2014. While a Member of the State Assembly, she was Vice Chair of the Assembly Committees on Revenue and Taxation and Appropriations. Ms. Harkey graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Economics from the University of California, Irvine.

State Controller Betty T. Yee was elected in November 2014. As Controller, she continues to serve the Board as its fifth voting member.

Ms. Yee began serving on the Board of Equalization in 2004 where she represented 21 counties in northern and central California. She was elected to four-year terms in 2006 and 2010.

As the State’s Chief Financial Officer, Ms. Yee also chairs the Franchise Tax Board and serves as a member of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) Boards. These two boards have a combined portfolio of nearly $500 billion.

Ms. Yee has over 30 years of experience in public service, specializing in state and local finance and tax policy. Ms. Yee previously served as Chief Deputy Director for Budget with the California Department of Finance where she led the development of the Governor’s Budget, negotiations with the Legislature and key budget stakeholders, and fiscal analyses of legislation on behalf of the Administration. Prior to this, she served in senior staff positions for several fiscal and policy committees in both houses of the California State Legislature.

Ms. Yee currently serves on the board of directors for the Cal Alumni Association at the University of California, Berkeley; California Women Lead; and the Equality California Institute. She was a co-founder of the Asian Pacific Youth Leadership Project, which exposes California high school youth to the public service, public policy, and political arenas.

A native of San Francisco, Ms. Yee received her bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley, and her master’s degree in Public Administration from Golden Gate University, San Francisco.